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A Saudi Arabian man has reportedly divorced his wife after she sent him a video which showed her driving the family car.

Saudi women are subjected to a de facto ban on driving in the Kingdom because they are not allowed to apply for licences, a fact which has been the topic of numerous criticisms,campaigns and most recently an intervention by President Barack Obama.

According to the Al Arabiya news site, the woman filmed herself driving in a public place and then sent the file to her husband on the instant messaging application Whatsapp, “expecting to surprise” him.

Yet if it was indeed intended as a light-hearted joke, the stunt has backfired spectacularly – the man has now filed divorce papers, and reportedly told a judge that his wife broke not only the law but also “social traditions and norms”.

Al Arabiya reported that the news had divided social media users in the country, with some defended him for “standing up for traditions” and others critical that he would break up a family over the issue.